Door panel



Dec. 11, 1962 R. F. ANTHONY DOOR PANEL Filed May 2, 1960 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

V/ 5 M Wm m .A m 8 v m n M M m R .0 u i United states atent @ilfire3,067,814 DUGR PANEL Russell Francis Anthony, Waterloo, Qntario, Canada,

assignor, by mesne assignments, to Massey-Ferguson Limited, Toronto,Ontario, Qanada, a corporation of Canada Filed May 2, 1960, Ser. No.25,969 2 Claims. (1. 160-235) This invention relates to panels and moreparticularly to the type of panel incorporated in a sectional garagedoor which is adapted to be moved in a first plane for a distancesubstantially equal to the area of the door jamb and thereafter pivotedinwardly in a second plane substantially at right angles to said firstplane.

Heretofore, many types of such doors have been proposed and, in themain, each of such doors has been constituted by a plurality ofinterlocking panels hingeably connected together along their oppositemarginal edges so as to permit relative movement therebetween.

Obviously, when considering doors having metal interlocking panels, thehingeable connections therebetween must be maintained lubricated inorder to give the best possible operation. However, heretofore, thehingeable connections have been so arranged that when lubricant has beenapplied thereto, a certain amount of the latter has, due to the choiceof design, flowed down the exterior of the door panels thus giving anunsightly appearance.

Moreover, due to the types and designs of hitherto known hingeableconnections employed between the panels, a danger has existed of aperson, when opening or closing such doors, catching his fingers betweenthe panels with the possible consequence of serious injury, and it isthe object of this invention, therefore, to overcome the abovedisadvantages.

According to one aspect, therefore, this invention relates to a panelfor incorporation in a sectional door constituted by a seriatim assemblyof such panels hingeably connected together, said panel beingconstituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and second shieldsangularly disposed to one another, .a main body portion integrallyconnecting said shields together each at one side thereof, an extensionon said first shield projecting parallel with said main body portion andterminating in an axle housing located between said first and secondshields and serving as the oint of hingeable connection between saidpanel and the preceding panel, and an extension on said second shieldprojecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in asocket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel.

According to another aspect, this invention relates to a sectional doorconstituted by a seriatim assembly of panels hingeably connectedtogether, each of said panels being constituted by a pair of mutuallyopposed first and second shields angularly disposed to one another, amain body portion integrally connecting said shields together each atone side thereof, an extension on said first shield projecting parallelwith said main body portion and terminating in an axle housing locatedbetween said first and second shields and serving as the point ofhingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, and anextension on said second shield projecing parallel with said main bodyportion and terminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housingof the next successive panel.

T he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken through a pair of panels of anupwardly acting door constituted by a seriatim assembly of such panelshingeably connected together, the door being in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the door in partiallyopened condition.

It will be appreciated that the panels form a conventional upwardlyacting door constituted by hingeable sections and as is normallypositioned within the wall opening of a garage. The wall opening isprovided with a conventional frame and vertical as well as horizontaltracks of channel-section within which, wheels carried by each panel areguided for movement during raising and lowering the door. As thisinvention relates specifically to a panel per se and .a door formed bysuch panels, it is considered necessary only to elaborate on the detailsappertaining to the panels.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that each panel, which is of alength to accommodate the wall opening, is constituted by a firstshield, generally indicated at l, and a mutually opposed second shieldgenerally indicated at 2, angularly disposed thereto. A main bodyportion 3 integrally connects the shields 1, 2 together, each at oneside thereof.

The first shield 1 of each panel is provided with a curved portion 4 anda projecting extension 5, parallel with the main body portion 3, whichterminates in an axle housing 6 located between the first and secondshields 1, 2. One such axle housing 6 is provided .at each end of apanel and serves to locate a stub axle 7 which carries a track wheel(not shown) for movement in known man ner in the guide track, also notshown.

The second shield 2 of each panel is provided with a first projectingextension 8 and a second projecting extension both of said extensionsbeing parallel with the main body portion 3 and connected together bymeans of a curved portion 10 of said second shield 2, normally overlyingthe curved portion 4 of the first shield 1 of the next successive panel.The second projecting extension 9 of the second shield 2 terminates in.a socket 11 which is adapted to embrace the axle housing 6 of the nextsuccessive panel.

Both of the curved portions 4, 10 of the respective first and secondshields l, 2 together with the axle housing 6 and cooperating socket 11,are coaxial.

It will thus be appreciated that each pair of stub axles 7 serve as thepoint of pivotal connection between a pair of adjacent panels and, dueto the fact that the pivotal connection is located between the firstshield 1 and the main body portion 3, lubricant Will be unable to escapeand run down the front of the main body portion 3. Moreover, the rubbingsurfaces of the housing 6 and sockets 11 are effectively concealed fromview in all positions of the door.

Moreover, due to the projecting extension 8 of each second shield 2, aswell as the fact that the curved portions 4 and 10 are concentric, it isvirtually impossible for a person operating the door accidentally toinsert his fingers between adjacent panels of the door.

Although the invention has been described and shown as applied to avertically acting door, it will be appregiated that it is alsoapplicable to a horizontally acting I claim as my invention:

1. A panel for incorporation in a sectional door constituted by aseriatim assembly of such panels hingeably connected together, saidpanel being constituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and secondshields angularly disposed to one another, a generally flat main bodyportion integrally connecting said shields together each at one sidethereof, a portion of said first shield being curved, an extension onthe opposite side of said first shield projecting parallel with saidmain body portion and terminating in an axle housing located within saidcurved portion of the first shield and between the latter and the secondshield, said axle housing serving as the point of hingeable connectionbetween said panel and the preceding panel, a first extensionintermediate the sides of said second shield projecting parallel withsaid main body portion, and a second extension on said second shield atthe side remote from its connection with the main body portionprojecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in asocket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel,a portion of said second shield between said projecting extensionsthereon, being curved and normally overlying the curved portion of thefirst shield of the said next successive panel, both of said curvedportions, together with the axle housing and cooperating socket beingcoaxial.

2. A sectional door constituted by a seriatim assembly of panelshingeably connected together, each of said panels being constituted by apair of mutually opposed first and second shields angularly disposed toone another, a generally flat main body portion integrally connectingsaid shields together each at one side thereof, a portion of said firstshield being curved, an extension on said first shield at the sideremote from its connection with the main body portion projectingparallel with said main body portion and terminating in an axle housinglocated within said curved portion of the first shield and between thelatter and the second shield, said axle housing serving as the point ofhingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, a firstextension on said second shield intermediate the sides thereofprojecting parallel with said main body portion, and a second extensionan said second shield at the side remote from its connection with themain body portion projecting parallel with said main body portion andterminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the nextsuccessive panel, a portion of said second shield, connecting saidprojecting extensions thereon, being curved and normally overly in" thecurved portion of the first shield of the said next successive panel,both of said curved portions, together with the axle housing andcooperating socket being coaxial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS897,990 McCloud Sept. 8, 1908 926,139 Rush June 29, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS766,703 France Apr. 16, 1934 1,019,482 France Oct. 29, 1952 1,119,116France Mar. 26, 1956 1,133,582 France Nov. 19, 1956

